Arthur flahaux



(No Model.)

A. FLAHAUX. v AUTOMATIC CLEANER FOR RAILS 0E TRAMWAYS, &c. No. 552,637.Patented Jan. '7, 1896.

mlmmlmmmllllmllllllllm INVENTUR W W WITNESSES:

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FrioE,

ARTHUR FLAIIAUX, OF LAEKEN, BELGIUM;

AUTOMATIC CLEANER FOR RAILS OF TRAIVIWAYS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,637, dated January'7, 1896.

Application filed May 9, 1895. Serial No. 548,653. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR FLAHAUX, a subject of the King of theBelgians, residing at Laeken, near Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Cleaners forthe Rails of Tramways and other Railroads, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

Myinvention relates to automatic cleaning devices for the rails ofrailroads, and particularly of tramways operated by draft-animals, or bymechanical or electrical means.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this description,Figure 1 is aview in elevation of my apparatus with the box A insection. Fig. 2 is a side view, and Fig. 3 a horizontal sectional view.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several views. I

My cleaning apparatus, as shown in the annexed drawings, comprises anoblong box with solid walls placed vertically upon each longitudinalgirder of the carriage-frame between the two wheels, so as to be in linewith the transverse axis of said carriage. Said box A, Figs. 1, 2 and 3,terminates at its lower end in a triangular platform a. WVithin thespace in said box a block B is so placed as to be capable of playing upand down therein freely. This block at its lower end terminates in aplatform O,which is also triangular, and which is made to carry a brushD of the same shape.

As will be readily understood from an examination of the drawings, theblock B, when brush D encounters uneven obstructions upon the rail whichit is designed to clean, will rise while sliding in box A. 'Tofacilitate such movement the block B is provided with friction rollersE, which travel upon the inner sides of the walls of said box.

A tramway-carriage provided with appliances of the character describedabove will, while employed in the usual way, clean the rails as maybecome necessary.

The platform 0 of blockB may be weighted with weights more or less heavyto increase the friction upon the rail. Thus, under ordinary conditions,when it is only desired to remove the dry dust from the depression inthe rail, a weight of four to five kilos will be sufficient, while incases of snowstorms double that axis of the carriage.

weight should be applied. Such application of weights can beaccomplished in various action, the block B is elevated and a pin G is'placed in the openings F which pass through the box A and the block.

I am aware that attempts have been made heretofore to automaticallyclean the rails of railroads, and that various devices have beenemployed, from the simple brush placed in front of the carriage to therotary brushes propelled from the axle; but all these systems areobjectionable, the former because the brushes, being placed in front ofthe carriages, when they pass over curves and switches do not operateproperly, as owing to the swinging movement of the carriage itfrequently happens that they do not properly take hold, and the latterbecause their complicated con struction is apt to cause their stoppagewhen their operation is particularly required, the mud lodging betweenits parts and rapidly clogging the same up. These disadvantages do notoccur in connection with my appliances, as the platform which carriesthe brush prevents the mud from entering box A, owing to its beingplaced in the line of the transverse Further, the triangular form givento the brush insures the throwing in uniform manner of dust and mudtoward the outside of the track and without splashing.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

' 1. The combination with a car, of a box atunder side of which isattached a triangular shaped brush, the apex of said brush point- IOOing in a direction at right angles to the rails to be cleaned,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a car, of a box attached to the under part ofthe car and a block substantially filling, transversely, said box, andthereby guided by it, sliding vertically Within said box and adapted tobe Weighted down and provided with friction rollers and With a platformto the under side of which is attached a triangular shaped brush, theapex of said brush pointing in a direction at right angles to the railsto be clean ed, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a car, of a box having solid Walls, attached tothe under part of the car on each side, said box adapted to receive ablock, provided With a triangular platform to the under side of Which isattached a brush of substantially similar shape, the apex of saidtriangular shaped platform and brush pointing in a direction at rightangles to the rails to be cleaned, the said block capable of verticalmovement Within said box and of being Weighted down to give any desireddegree of pressure to the brush, substantially as set forth.

I11 testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR FLAHAUX. \Vitnesses:

LEoNoE TANMAR'I DE BROUILLOT, AoHILLE MoREL.

